(Cleveland, OH) - Following Monday's vespers prayer service and wake for Cleveland Catholic Bishop Anthony Pilla, a the funeral Mass was held today at 11 a.m. in the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, with Father Edward Estok, Pastor of St. Albert the Great Parish in North Royalton, as homilist.
"This Bishop Pilla-family was the point of Bishop Anthony Michael Pilla's life among us," said Estok in his homily.
He continued, "We are charged by him, his life and his ministry and now his death. To live on in his love."
The Mass of Christian burial concluded two days of honoring Pilla's life on this earth.
Current Bishop Edward C. Malesic served as main celebrant and was joined by scores of local and national clergy members, many of whom had been ordained by Pilla himself.
Others in attendance included Pilla's sister-in-law, several nieces and nephews, and Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and his wife Fran.
Bishop Pilla served in the City of Cleveland for 25 years until his retirement in 2006.
After his retirement, Bishop Pilla stayed active in the Church and community, even attending last month's Feast of the Assumption in Little Italy.
(Copyright, iHeartMedia, 2021)
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